Impulse storing and repeating device



Nov. 26, 1946- e. DE AKIN ET AL IMPULSE STORING AND REPEATING DEVICE Filed March 31, 1945 3 Sheets$heet 1 TIIIL III kmk WGEV INVENTORS 53 EAKZ N GERALD ERNEST S. McLARN Nov. 26, 194$. G. DEAKIN ET AL ZfiE-ELSZG IMPULSE STORING AND REEEATING DEVICE Filed March 51 1945 5 Sheets-$heet 2 ZNVENTORS GERALD DEAEUN EQNEST S. McLAFEfl NW, 26 1946 G. DEAKRN ET AL 2,433,526

IMPULSE STORING AND REPEATING DEVICE Filed March 31, 1945 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTORS GERALD DEAKIN 2 BV ERNEST S.M :LARN

ATTY.

Patented Nov. 26, 1943 2,411,526 IMPULSE STORING AND REPEATIN G DEVICE Gerald Deakin, New York, and Ernest S. McLarn, Manhasset, N. Y., assignors to International Standard Electric Corporation, New York, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Application March 31, 1945, Serial No. 586,005

9 Claims.

This invention relates to dial impulse storing and repeating devices designed for employment in telecommunications systems such as in automatic or semi-automatic telephone exchange systems and the like. An object of the present invention is to make provision for receiving electrical impulses, to store the impulses received and, dependent on circuit conditions, to later or simultaneously therewith, retransmit or repeat the received impulses in properly timed relation to receiving apparatus such as the register Of an automatic exchange.

As illustrative of .a typical use of the present apparatus it may be employed in association with an incoming trunk to a register of an automatic exchange of the multi-potential selection type from a Strowger oilice not provided with a register or other means of storing the call pending the picking up of the register. An example of such use is disclosed in co-pending application Serial No. 484,184, filed April 23, 1943, now Patent No. 2,380,950, dated Aug. 7, 1945. In astraight Strowger exchange, as is well understood, no means is provided for storing of the digit impulses for the short interval of time required to pick up the trunk register. Moreover, in the transmission of the dialling impulses from the Strowger ofliice, particularly when working under maximum trafiic conditions, the dialling of a low digit, such as 1, may occur in such rapid succession as to be short of the time requirement for the selec tion at the receiving exchange such as when all but the last few trunks in the selected level of a group selector are busy. Under the firstmentioned conditions wherein there is no adequate time interval available for register selection it is necessary that the first digit trunked into an automatic ofiice from a Strowger oil'ice be stored in the trunk itself and further that a full inter-digital time period be provided for register selection. The device of the present invention is designed for the storing and the repeating of the impulses under the prescribed conditions in a manner to effect the proper operation of the related receiving device or register. The improved device, to be so operative, consists of two driven parts, one of which advances in position with relation to the other responsive to the number of impulses received and wherein the other of the driven parts is caused to have a following movement during which the impulses are repeated until it reaches the advanced position of the first part by inter-engagement therebetween.

The foregoing and other features and advantages of the present improvements will be more fully understood by reference to the accompanying drawings wherein like reference characters are applied to the corresponding parts in the several views.

In the drawings,

Fig. l is a view of the improved impulse ing and repeating device showing same in elevation with the cover shown in section;

Fig. 2 is a schematic View showing the circuit arrangement;

Fig. 3 is an end elevation taken from the left of Fig. 1 with the cover member shown in section;

Fig. 4.- is a vertical on line 44 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a partial view in end elevation corresponding to Fig. 3 with the parts thereof in changed or leading position;

Fig. 6 is a detailed vertical longitudinal sectional view of the armature mounting;

Fig. '7 is a vertical cross sectional view taken on line 'l-'! of Fig. 1;

Fig. 8 is a skeletonized plan view of the moving parts of the mechanism; and

Fig. 9 is a partial view in side elevation of the follower magnet armature and associated ratchet feed and contact under the condition of magnet energization.

The improved apparatus and associated circuit arrangement of the invention, designed for the storing and repeating of received impulses, employs in its operation a stepping mechanism employing two driven parts which by inter-engagement open and close contacts for preparing an impulse repeating or re-transmitting circuit. One of the driven parts is stepped or advanced by a magnet responsive to the incoming or received impulses. The other of the driven members is stepped by a magnet under the control of interrupter contacts after the preparation of its energizing circuit by the leading or advanced relation of the first driven member with relation to that of the second and cooperating driven member.

In the preferred structural embodiment of the device illustrated in the drawings the impulse storing and repeating mechanism includes driven members in the form of similar rctatably supported ratchets rotated by magnet-controlled pivoted armatures carrying feed pawls engaging with the ratchet teeth to efifect step-by-step rotation thereof. The mechanism as shown is supported upon a base or standard I having integrally formed therewith, a rear wall 2, a centrally positioned vertical supporting wall 3 and forwardly and opstorside cross sectional view taken positely positioned brackets i. Within apertures in the brackets A a transverse bearing shaft is journaled upon which are freely rotatably mounted two ratchet wheels 6 and l, of corresponding diameter and provided with similar ratchet teeth 8. The ratchet wheel 6, which is the received impulse operated or lead ratchet, is provided with a hub a formed with axially extending keys or splines it upon which is slidably mounted a switch actuating collar it having a radial flange l2 provided on one face with diametrically positioned laterally extending earn lugs l3. These lugs l3 project toward and cooperatively engage with coacting earn lugs i i-l l carried upon a face of the ratchet wheel 3. Relative rotation of the ratchet and inter-engagement of the lugs will accordingly effect shifting of the collar ii, thereby effecting the opening of contacts in the impulse repeating circuit, as will now be described. These contacts is and it are carried upon flat spring elements, supported by bolt I'I upon a bridge is in insulated relation, and each is provided with a terminal extension 59 as shown in Fig. 1. As shown in Fig. 5, when the cam lugs i3 and the coacting cam lugs it are disengaged whereby the collar H is shifted toward the ratchet wheel l, the contacts li5 engage for closed circuit as the spring element iii presses at its lower end against the flange E2 of the actuating collar H. Engagement of the cams l3-Hl causes axial shifting of the collar ii to open the contacts as shown in Fig. 3. In the structural embodiment as shown (dotted lines in Fig. 1) each of the spring elements carrying the contacts l5 and It is forked to provide legs strad dling the collar H, and the extremities of these elements are formed as shown by laterally bending same toward the flange to provide oilset engaging portions 29, each having a rounded surface pressing against the flange 92 to cause axial shifting of the collar H as above stated.

A uni-directional step-by-step rotation of each of the ratchets 6 and 'l is provided by similar magnetically operated feed pawls 2i coacting with the ratchet teeth. The customarily employed cooperating retaining springs 22 engaging with the ratchet teeth, are supported upon the bridge member is and retain the ratchets in the successive positions, opposing reverse movement thereof. The feed pawls 2 i, pivotally supported at 23 upon extensions "24 of armatures 25, are independently operable by means comprising a magnet structure including the coils 21 and 28 having the usual cores 2%. The armatures 25 are pivoted at 26 upon brackets to which, as is best shown in Fig. 6, are secured in position by screw 3! to permit armature-magnet air gap. The magnetic ratchet rotating mechanism abovedescribed will be understood to be or corresponding construction for each of the ratchets E and 'i and each further includes adjustable stops 32, engaging theunder sides of the feed pawls to limit the downward movement thereof, fiat springs 33, supported upon the arms 2:: and engaging rearward extensions as of the pawls, resiliently to urge the latter into contact with the ratchet teeth and return or feed springs to, supported upon a bridge 38 and engaging lugs 3? of the armature extensions 26 to effect downward or feed movement of the pawls and rotation of the ratchet wheels upon each release of the armature. Insofar as now described, the two magnetic ratchet feed devices operated by the two magnet are similar structures but in the case of the magnet element including coil 28 associated with the follower ratchet l the mechanism further includes switch elements operated by the return spring 35, which is insulatingly supported and carries contact element engaging contact elements carried by coacting resilient and insulatingly supported springs 36 and 39. It will be understood that spring 35, in normal position as shown in Fig. 1, causes engagement of the contact element carried thereon with the coacting contact element carried on the leaf spring 33, thus a circuit including the springs 35 and 32; is normally completed a circuit including springs 35 and 39 is normally incom pleted. Spring 35%. it will be noted in Fig. l, is retained in fixed position by a stop it. As shown in Fig. '7, the return spring 35. contact springs 38 and 35 and associated insulating washers are supported in position upon the bridge 36 by a yoke 48 secured by a single screw stud iii. A cover 42 is provided as shown for the protection of the operating mechanism.

An operating circuit including the hereinabove described device is shown diagrammatically by way of example in Fig. 2 wherein the coil 2'! of the lead ratchet operating magnet is connected through terminal at to trunk 35 of a Strowger exchange and to the negative battery terminal 46. The lead ratchet wheel 6 is accordingly rotated stepwise in response to the impulses received from this independent circuit. The follower ratchet operating magnet 28 for creating impulses in the repeating circuit is controlled by the switch elements l5-it and additionally by a switch 59 which will be understood to be closed in any known manner as soon as the register is connected. The circuit for magnet 28 extends over lead E? from the positive battery terminal is, the switch elements it and it, lead 49, terminal Sit, lead 5i, switch 59, terminal 5 the leaf spring switch elements 35, 33, magnet 28, lead to the negative terminal 135. The impulse repeating circuit extends over a stepping relay in the register, lead 58, terminal 5?, the leaf spring switch elements 39, 35, terminal 54, switch elements 59, H5, i5 to the positive battery terminal. Accordingly, the operation of the follower ratchet controlling magnet 28 is dependent first upon the closing oi the control switch ele: ments its-46 and on completion of the circuit over the switch 59, and it continues to step until the switch elements 55-4 5 are opened by engagement of a lug it on the ratchet l with 2. lug l3 of the flange i2 rotated by the ratchet 6.

The operation of the device above-described is as follows: the cam lugs l3 and i i are in en-- gaged relationship accordingly switch elements l5 and it are not in contact and accordingly no current flows from the battery through magnet coil 23. As impulses are transmitted in the trunk lines, circuit normally is completed from the trunk with the register and switch 5% is accordingly closed, but should circuit not be completed from the trunk with the register, switch 59 is moved to open circuit position. The ii.--- pulses from the trunk, meanwhile, have. caused stepwise rotation of the lead ratchet E by energi zation of the magnet coil 2? which is con ected across the trunk terminals M and it, and as this ratchet is rotated the engaging lugs l3 and it are disengaged thereby permitting the spring pressing member 15 to shift the collar liaxially causing closing of the switch elements i?3.l5. When this occurs and if circuit is completed between the trunk and the register, the magnet coil 23 is then connected through closed switch 59 in closed circuit with the battery, thereby receiving an impulse which results in stepwise rotation of the follower ratchet 1, engagement of the cam lugs i 3| 4 and opening of the switch elements l5|6. Each impulse thus received by the magnet coil 23, as it causes operation of the corresponding armature results in momentary contact between the contact elements carried the leaf springs 35 and 39 whereby correspond 1g impulse currents are transmitted to the stepp relay of the register causing it to select the corresponding line. been connected to the register, switch open circuit position, hence the transmission of digit selecting operating impulses to the stepping relay is postponed until such connection is established, but when this occurs magnet coil 23 is energized and the mechanism transmits the impulses as above-described.

What is claimed is:

1. An impulse storing and repeating device comprising lead and follower driven member supported and formed for inter-engagement to establish a coasting position, a first magnet to advance the lead member responsive to received impulses, a second magnet to advance the follower member, an energizing circuit for the second magnet including a control switch adapted to be opened in the engaging position of the driven members and closed when the lead member is in advanced relation with respect to the follower member and interrupter contacts arranged to be actuated by said second magnet.

2. An impulse storing and repeating device comprising lead and follower driven members supported and formed for inter-engagement to establish a coacting position, a first magnet to actuated by said second magnet.

3. An impulse storing and repeating device comprising lead and follower driven members supported and formed for inter-engagement to establish a coacting position, a first magnet connected and closed when the lead member is in advanced relation with respect to the follower and repeating contacts closed responsive to each actuation of said second magnet.

4. An impulse storing and repeating device follower ratchet driven positioned to advance the follower member, an

energizing circuit for the second magnet including a control switch adapted to be opened in the engaged position of the driven members and be closed over said control switch and over further contacts controlled by said second magnet. 6. An impulse storing and repeating device ergization of said second magnet.

7. An impulse storing and repeating tiomng of the driven ratchets and second magnet and an impulse repeating circuit connected to be closed responsive to deenergizing of said second 9. An impulse storing and repeating device comprising lead and follower driven members rotatably supported and formed for inter-engagement to establish a coacting position, a first mag bers and closed on advanced positioning of the lead member, means for intermittently energizing said second magnet, an impulse repeating circuit and contacts for closing the repeating circuit 5 responsive to opening of said energizing circuit.

GERALD DEAKIN. ERNEST S MCLARN. 

